Rescue dog dies after saving Ecuador quake victims

A rescue dog that helped save people after a horrific earthquake in Ecuador died from heat stroke last week.

Dayko, a four-year-old yellow Labrador, was part of a search and rescue mission to find people trapped beneath rubble following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Ecuador, the Ibarra Fire Department said in a Facebook post. At least 655 people were killed in the quake and hundreds injured.

According to the fire department, a necropsy confirmed that Dayko suffered a heart attack and acute respiratory failure after becoming over-heated while working alongside search and rescue officials.

“Dayko captivated us all with his tender look and his friendly nature,” the fire department said in a translated Facebook post.

The earthquake struck on April 16, toppling buildings, damaging roads and impacting cities hundreds of miles from its epicenter near the small fishing village of Muisne.

Contributing: Jane Onyanga-Omara 

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